Rifle-cabinet.



W. A. ROBERTS.

RIFLE CABENET.

APPucATloN FILED Decnzr. 1914.

an s'iiarne rarnnr onirica i WILLIAM A. ROBERTS, F MONTREAL, QUEBEC,CANADA.

RIFLE-CABINET.

Lacasse.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, VILLIAM A. ROBERTS, of the city of Montreal,Province 'of Quebec, Dominion of Canada, a subject of the .King of GreatBritain, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRifle-Cabinets; and l do hereby declare that the follow-ing is a full,clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates particularly to rifle cabinets for use in largearmories or .in places where rifles are handled in large numbers and hasfor its object to provide a simple and effective means for preventingrifles from being stolen from the various cabinets, and which willenable a number of rifles and bayonets to be locked simultaneously byone locking mechanism, and also to provide means for closing the cabinetafter the rifles have been locked in place, which means will be adaptedto be collapsed within the space olfered'by the particular constructionand arrangement of the rifles and locking mechanism.

The invention consists of the particular construction and combination ofparts hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims. For fullcomprehension, however, of my invention reference must be had to theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this invention, in which similarreference characters indicate the same parts, and wherein Figure 1 is afront elevation partly in elevation and partly in section of a cabinetconstructed according to my invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectionalview taken on line A A Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional viewtaken on line B B Fig. 2; Fig. l is a detail vertical sectional view ofthe horizontal locking member; Fig. 5 is a view of the means forsustaining the door in collapsed position and drawn to an enlargedscale; and Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of theforward portion of one side of the top of the casing taken on line C CFig. 2.

The body of my improved cabinet consists of rear and end walls 2 and 3and ioor and top sections 4 and 5 respectively, the opening in the frontof the cabinet being adapted to be closed by a fixed panel 10 eX-tending across the top thereof and a collapsible door which isconstructed and arranged to lie vimmediately behind when in collapsedffposition.'

Specification of Letters Patent.

this panel Patented @et 2st., 1916.

Application led December 21, 1914. Serial No. 878,3?'8- The members ofmy improved door indicated at v6, 7 and 8 are preferably three 1nnumber. Each member is of a similar construction to the others andconsists of a horizontal oblong rectangular panel having located at eachside edge and extending throughout the main length thereof, a T- iron 9,the flanges of which project outwardly and inwardly beyond the outer andinner faces of the panel, respectively, the purpose of the projectingflanges being to transmit movement from one panel to the ad- )oiningpanel. Each T-iron is secured in place by means of its leg l1 whichprojects into the panel and is held in place by screws or other suitablemeans indicated at 15.

To afford means for guiding the door during movement from closed to openor collapsed position each end wall of the cabinet is provided with avertical strip 18 located near the front edge thereof and having itsinner edge of zig zag form, the horizontal surfaces of the zigzagsforming abutments 19 limiting downward movement of the panels, while theinclined faces 20 prevent late'ral movement thereof to one side when inclosed position. Lateral movement i-n the opposite direction isprevented by the inwardly proj ectingflanges 21 of angle irons 22 alsosecured to the end walls of the cabinet and extending from the abutmentsto the top `of the cabinet and parallel to the inclined faces 20, theflanges 21 of each angle-iron serving as a guide for the two panelsimmediately adjoining. The advantage of this construction is thatpractically no more space is necessitated within the cabinet than wouldbe required for a single door, this being due to the fa ct that therifles are supported in upright position and much more space is reouiredat the bottom for the butt ends than for the muzzles at the top andconsequently there is cuite a large space at the top of the cabinetwhich is not in use and which affords the necessary space for the panelswhen in collaped position.

To facilitate movement of the door the lowest panel is provided with abracket 83,

retaining one vend of a Vrope Bil passed over a pulley mounted upon theunderside of the top of the cabinet and it is passed down behind therear wall thereof where it is atsecured to the inner face thereof. Uponthis strip is mounted an inwardly projecting pin 38 having an enlargedend and constructed and arranged to be engaged by a metal strap 39pivotally suspended from the top of the cabinet and having a hole in itslower end resting in seats 24E in vertical alinement with the notches ofthe rack and formed in the flooring of the cabinet. These rifles areadapted to be locked in this position by a series of downwardlyextending cup-like caps carried by the horizontal flange of an angularmember 26 which extends throughout the length of the cabinet andsupported by a series of arms 27 formed integrally with a horizontal bar28 journaled in brackets 29 secured to the end walls of the cabinet.These caps are tapered toward the horizontal flange of the angularmember and each is secured to the same by means of a sleeve 30 of asmaller diameter than and extending from the tapered end of the cap, theflange of the angular member being bored to receive such sleeves whichare riveted in place. Each of the caps is vertically bored through thecenter as at 31 the lower end being flared as at 32 to more readilyreceive the muzzle of the rifle over which the cap fits when in lockingposition, while approximately the upper half of the remainder of thebore is threaded and is adapted to receive atube 34 externally threadedwhich is adapted to conduct oil to a wad of felt 35 placed in the upperend of the cap to lrest upon the muzzle of the rifle7 the purpose of thetube being also to enable the wad to be adjusted to accommodatedifferent positionsof the rifles. The object of this adjustment is toinsure the tight closing of the muzzle to prevent entry thereto ofmoisture and it may be explained that although the rifles are of uniformlength the woodwork ofthe cabinet varies with climatic changes thusvarying the distance between the caps and rifle seats. This is thevariation taken care of. The caps under normal conditions are held awayfrom the muzzles of the rifles by a pair of helical springs 54 which areconnected at their lower ends to the vertical flange vof the angularmember and at their upper ends to the top section l by suitablefastenings.- Secured to the vertical flange of the angular member is ahasp'37 adapted to engageI a staple secured to the rear wall of thecabinet for retaining the angular member in locking position. Toovercome the necessity of any extra locking means for retaining thebayonets .in place a series of .brackets 88.

each pair of these brackets being adapted to receive between them theends of the crossarm of a bayonet as shown in Fig. l and the wholeseries are so arranged relatively to the notches in the rack and theseats that when the rifles are placed in position the bolt of each riflewill come abreast the upper part of its respective bayonet andconsequently prevent the bayonet being dislodged till its respective rieis removed.` This enables the locking mechanism to retain both bayonetsand rifles in place without extra mechanism.

In order to accommodate a second row of rifles a rack 59 similar to therack 23 has its ends slidably mounted in vertical guides 51 secured tothe end of the cabinet, each rear guide having a recess 52 offset fromthe guide to receive the rack when raised to its proper position; asecond row of cup-like sealing devices with their second angle ironbeing carried by the arms 27.

Operation: When it is desired to put the rifles in the cabinet thebayonets are first placed in the brackets 8S with their points restingin the grooves or notches 89, then the rifles are placed in position thebarrels resting within the notches of the rack and the butt ends of therifles in the seats 29. The wads in the different caps areI adjusted tofit the rifles to be locked thereby. After the rifles are all in placethe ohcer or in* dividual in charge pulls the angular member down untilthe caps 25 lit over the muzzles of the rifles. and locks such member inthis position by means of a padlock or any other means for retaining thehasp on the staple, the felt pads at the same time being brought intocontact with the muzzles and thereby excluding the air. A little oil ispoured into each tube from time to time to keep the pad saturated andprevent rust forming on the rifle barrels. This action obviates thenecessity of filling the barrels with vaseline or other lubricant orrust preventative when allowed to remain idle. The cabinet is thenclosed bv means of the sliding doors. lhen a second row of rifles isaccommodated they are locked as above described.

What I claim is as follows l. A rifle cabinet the base of which has aseries of seats for the rifle butts, a rack having a series of notchesor grooves for accommodating the rifles, means supporting the said rackin the cabinet with its notches `or grooves in alnement with the seats;an

angle-iron having' a series of inverted cup like devices carriedthereby, a pair of arms pivoted to the cabinet and supporting theangle-iron and a pair of springs connected at one end to the top of thecabinet and at their opposite ends to the angle-iron, and means forlocking' such ang'le-iron in position with the cup-like devicesinclosing the muzzles of the rifles.

2. A ritle cabinet the base or' which has a series of seats for therifle butts, a rack having a series of notches or groove-s foraccommodating the rides, means supporting the said rack in the cabinetwith its notches or grooves in alinement with the seats, a memberhaving` a series of inverted cupshape devices for sealing the muzzles ofthe ril'les, such cup-like devices having' a wad set therein and an oilduct communicating with the wad and means for displaceably supporting'lthe said member in position.

A. ri'le cabinet the base of which has a series of seats for the riflebutts, a rack having' a series of notches or grooves for accommodatingthe. rifles, means supporting' the said rack in the cabinet with itsnotches or grooves in alinement with the seat-s` a bayonet supporting'rack behind the rifle seats, a member having' a series of invertedcup-shape devices for sealing the muzzles of the rifles, such cup-likedevices having` a wad set therein and an oil duct communicating with thewad and means for displaceably supporting the said member .in position.

4L. A rifle cabinet the base of which has a series of seats for therifle-butts, a rack having a series of notches or grooves foraccommodating the i'iiies, means supporting' the said rack in thecabinet with its notches or grooves in alinement with the seats, abayonet supporting` rack behind the rifle seats; an angle-iron having aseries of inverted cup-like devices carried therebya pair ot armspivoted to the cabinet and supporting' the angle-iron and a pair ofsprings connect-ed at one end to the top of the cabinet and at theiropposite ends to the angleiron, and means for locking such angle-iron inposition with the cup-like devices inclos ing the muzzles of the rifles.

A rifle cabinet the base of which has a series oi" seats for the riflebutts, a rack having a series of notches or grooves for accommodating'the riies, means supporting' the said rack in the cabinet with itsnotches or grooves in alinement with the seats, a bayonet supportingrack behind the ritle seats; an angle-iron having' a series of invertedcup-like devices carried thereby such cup-like devices having' a wad settherein and an oil duct communicating' with the wad; a pair of armspivoted to the cabinet and supporting the angle-iron and a pair ofsprings connected at one end to the top of the cabinet and at theiropposite ends to the angle-iron, and means for locking' such angle-ironin position with the cup-like devices inclosing' the muzzles of therities.

A6. A rifle cabinet the base of which has a pair of parallel series ofseats for the riiie butts, a pair of racks having a series of notches orgrooves for accommodating two series of rifles, means supporting' eachof the said racks in the cabinet with its notches or grooves inalinement with the seats,means permitting' one or' the said racks to bedisplaced; a member having a series of devices tor sealingthe muzzles ofeach series of rifles, and means for displaceably supporting' the saidmember in position.

7. A rifle cabinet the base of which has a pair of parallel series ofseats for the rifle butts, a pair of racks having' a series of 'notchesor grooves t'or accommodating' two series of rifles, means supportingeach of the said racks in the cabinet with its notches or grooves inalinement with the seats, means permitting' one of the said racks to bedisplaced, a bayonet supporting' rack behind the rifle seats; a memberhaving a series of devices for sealing the muzzles of each series ofrifles, and means for displaceably supporting' the said member inposition.

8. ritie cabinet having' an open front and presenting' a pair otparallel series of seats for the rifle butts, a pair of racks having aseries of notches or grooves for accommodating two series of riles,means supporting' each of the said racks in the cabinet with its notchesor grooves in alinement with the seat-s, means permitting' one of thesaid racks to be displaced, a bayonet supporting' rack behind the rieseats; a member having a series ot devices for sealing' the mnzzles ofeach series of rifles, means for displaceably supporting the said memberin position; and a vertically col lapsible door for closing the saidopen front.

In testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM A. ROBERTS. lVitnesses VILLIAM J. C. HEwn'rsoN, DAVID ROBERGLE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner ot Patente, Washington, D. C.

